Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Keeping The Memory Alive

On Monday evening we lost my Dad's mom. Her name was Mary Day Martin and she was the epitome of a character. She was 88 years old and everyone in her town knew her and knew her well. She often quoted Thomas Fuller by stating that "Fool's names, like fools faces - Are often seen in public places" and as much, tended to stay close to her home, though her home with my grandfather Johnny was often rocking.

Growing up, some of our favorite memories with them were their monthly porch parties. This was no small shindig. The porch around their cabin had as much living space as the inside of their home and come party night it was filled with rows and rows of tables and a plethora of chairs. Folks from all over the county (did I mention they lived in the country...and I mean COUNTRY) would arrive with their most famous dishes and the food was beyond dynamite. Us kids would drown ourselves in the ambrosia, boiled custard, home made cobblers and bundt cakes. In the mean time, there would be a band of locals playing their guitars and mandolins and on the special occasion a few of the women would break out their clogging shoes. It was an incredible time.

Mary began to loose her battle with Alzheimer's about the time I was in college and she didn't make it to our wedding though I did have the opportunity to introduce her to Ella on a few occasions

And then, just recently, when we knew that she was in quite poor health, we took Ows to meet her as well. Neither of them may ever remember the moment, but my Dad and I always will

That woman could cook like no one I have ever come across (well next to Johnny.) We would go out to her garden and pick okra only to come inside and her fry it up fresh. Her biscuits were like air and her chicken and dumplings could make any day better. I am trying my best to help Ella learn some of her dishes and we are spending a lot of time in the kitchen together

I need to get Ella out of the princess dress and into one of our kiddo aprons to match mine http://www.littlemissmonogramshop.com/index.php?p=detail&pid=277&cat_id=, as my Mary always had aprons on us when we were covering her entire kitchen with flour, only to make her laugh. I am going to miss her dearly but hope that we can keep her memory alive, especially through her cooking. Don't you agree that food just takes you back? It will always take me back to her kitchen. I love you Mary and will miss you dearly.....